‘California’ proposal for Izmir

Participating in the opening ceremony of the 2024-2025 academic year organized by Izmir University of Economics (IUE), Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu, who delivered the first lecture titled ‘Climate, Agriculture, Disasters, and Technology’, provided important insights regarding the heatwave affecting our country and the precautions that should be taken in Izmir. Prof. Kadıoğlu said, “The heatwave is a silent disaster. In many parts of the world, cool pavements and green roof systems are being used. In Los Angeles and California, roads are being painted white. We also need to take precautions. Buildings in Izmir should be painted white, and streets should be designed perpendicular to the sea to allow wind passage.”

Izmir University of Economics, which has been on a successful educational journey for 24 years as the First Foundation university in the Aegean Region, started the 2024-2025 academic year with approximately 12 thousand students. The opening ceremony, held in the IUE Conference Hall, was attended by IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Hakan Abacıoğlu; Former Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Aşkar; President of the Izmir Planning Agency Prof. Dr. Koray Velibeyoğlu; President of the Emergency Medicine Association for All Dr. Ülkümen Rodoplu; academics, students, and guests. Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu, Director of the Disaster Management Institute and Head of the Department of Meteorology Engineering at Istanbul Technical University, attended as the guest of honor and shared his knowledge and experience in his first lecture. At the end of the ceremony, Rector Abacıoğlu presented a plaque to Prof. Kadıoğlu as a token of appreciation.

TEMPERATURES MAY RISE BY 4-7 DEGREES

Pointing out that the heatwave and drought will continue to have an impact in the coming years, Prof. Kadıoğlu issued warnings and made recommendations for precautionary measures. Kadıoğlu said, “Global warming affects not just us but the entire world. As we move inland from the coast in our country, we predict that temperatures could increase by 4-7 degrees by 2100. This is a very serious figure. We need to adapt to the advantages and disadvantages that warming will bring, and take action accordingly. For example, in Los Angeles and California, roads are painted white. Izmir should do the same. Buildings should be painted white, and streets should be designed perpendicular to the sea to allow the breeze to flow through. We need to plan our cities taking heatwaves into consideration. In many parts of the world, cool pavements and green roof systems have been adapted. We must take the issue of drought seriously.”

WE ARE EXPERIENCING WATER STRESS

Prof. Kadıoğlu continued as follows: “The heatwave and drought are serious disasters. Many deaths today are rooted in the heatwave. We must take precautions, as this problem will only increase. We are building structures like the Great Wall of China facing the sea. This is a mistake. There is no wind passage. In addition, as water heats up, it expands, causing sea levels to rise. The situation is the same both in Turkey and in the world. The global average sea level rise is 60 centimeters. This means we should stay 60 meters away from the coast. But we are doing the opposite and rushing to the shores. Rainfall is also a problem. In the Aegean and Mediterranean regions, rainfall could decrease by up to 50%. The lack of snow in many areas, including Izmir, is also a significant problem. Snow and winter droughts are the most severe forms of drought. As a country, we are experiencing water stress. According to the State Hydraulic Works (DSI), we have 112 billion cubic meters of water, with approximately 1 thousand 300 cubic meters per person. Less than 1 thousand cubic meters per person is considered water scarcity. The numbers are clear; we are currently a country experiencing water stress.”

EMPHASIS ON ‘SUSTAINABLE LIVING’

In his speech, IUE Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Hakan Abacıoğlu emphasized their mission to create creative and transformative solutions for sustainable living, stating, “Sustainability has many dimensions, but perhaps the most important among them is building resilient ecosystems, cities, economies, and societies against disasters. Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu is a distinguished scientist who has made valuable contributions to the scientific world with his work on climate change and disasters, and who has spared no effort in raising public awareness. I sincerely thank him for accepting our invitation and participating in our ceremony. Both the world and universities are changing. The direction of this change will depend on our choices and decisions. Making the right choices is not only a duty but also a moral responsibility to create a livable world. I know that our university embraces this responsibility, and that gives me hope.”